Fading
by Zorra Reed
Summary: Inspired by ep9 "Wildfire in the Sky". An insight of what might have been had Ryo's injuries been more severe upon returning to earth.


**Category:** Anime: Ronin Warriors  
**Rating:** K (G)  
**Copyright:** _©Copyright 2012 Moonrise Inn Publications  
_**Disclaimer:** This is a Fanfiction. Ronin Warriors is property of Bandai.  
**Authors Note:** Inspired by episode 9 Wildfire In the Sky. Thanks to Bakura for the title.

* * *

**Fading  
**Author: _Zorra Reed_

My heart thundered in my chest; the force threatening to rip it from the protective cavity it dwelled in. The world was dark, like my mind. Shrouded and hidden in shadows so deep, the sun could only dream of penetrating them. Where am I? Why am I? For in the whole world what cruel fate had to chose me from the thousands of other candidates, to face this challenge, to face…living?

For that's what I was doing, wasn't it? I was living. I was living off a respirator and a feeding tube. I was living on my back, in a lumpy bed, with constant beeping sounds and reproachful smells that assaulted the senses; until one by one, they slowly died, taking my taste buds with 'em.

My lungs burned with every breath I tried to take; my body trying to override the cycled breathing of the respirator. I was suffocating. It felt as if I couldn't breathe deep enough. My chest rising and falling, expanding with every vain effort until I was doubling up on inhales; each one refusing to satisfy the need my lungs screamed with. Thousands of small colorful dots danced in and out of my vision and I grew lightheaded. 'What's happening to me?'

OooO

"Someone help! My friend's in trouble!" A voice, thick with an accent, called from what seemed far off. Time held no meaning, and it was mere moments before he found that same voice soothing him once again. It drifted into his dream, mixing its melody in with the gentle lullaby that endlessly repeated itself in the background of his mind. A song one never grew tired of hearing. It was relaxing and calm, wrapping its warmth around him and pulling him back from the pain that waking offered.

Someone was at his side now. They'd been there off and on, drifting in and out of his awareness; touching him, speaking to him, easing him when he was scared, frightened by nightmares of a long fall through space and a shattering impact: dreams of fire and screaming, of pain and loss. He couldn't tell reality from dream, waking from sleep. He dreamed even while awake so perhaps he had never awakened to begin with? But if he'd never awakened, then why does he hear and see this boy by his side day after day? It was days, wasn't it... or maybe it was hours? Hours lost in sleep where morning and night blend together until one is unable to count the passing of time by sheer wit alone.

OooO

Pain! Like fire, _no_…lightening coursing through my veins! I don't want to feel! I don't want to wake, to open my eyes to this world of pain that awaits me. I wish to sleep. I'm so very tired and never aloud to sleep, never able to stop dreaming. Let me rest, please. I just want to rest. But the pain comes again. This time more potent, I can taste the electric charge in my mouth. Cold metal rests against my bear chest. When did I take off my shirt? No, no, no more pain! Please, no more! My body jerks and lifts up, the movement forcing unused muscles to pull and strain.

My chest doesn't hurt so badly anymore. I can breathe again, and the thumping of blood as it rushes through my ears is no longer present. But a new pain replaces the old one. It's not the same sort of pain, it doesn't hurt as badly, but this one will take longer to heal. It spreads over my whole body, aches inside my bones and joints. Long forgotten bruises reawakening after my bodies little arching stunt. It's hard to think. I can't open my eyes. I don't think I ever have… yet, I see everything around me? No, it's dark again, not yet, please. That voice…that touch… He's leaving me again. He's leaving me alone in the wilderness of this room; this room, where my old life ended and my new one of pain has begun. He's leaving me alone like he does every night. I'm alone with my nightmares and false reality. Or perhaps, he is the false reality and I am the reality? But then, who am I? Pain! All I'm certain of anymore is the pain!

OooO

"Rest peacefully, Ryo. You deserve that much at least." Rowen took a final, long look at the pale figure in the bed, the one who had risked everything, given up everything to save him from Talpa. Turning out the light he left the room. The door closing behind him with a soft click as it locked back into place.

"…Ro..wen…?"

Beep…Beep…Beep…Beep

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeee


End file.
